Recent Posts

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Events / [03/31/2026] Load The Pattern
« Last post by Jonathan Baggett on Today at 07:54:54 AM »


Join the Cleveland ARTCC as we staff-up the JST and LBE Class Deltas for a night nearly guaranteed to spark some of the chaos which is only found on VATSIM. Let's load up the pattern and start a party in the Johnstown TRACON.

Study up on the traffic pattern, be ready to make some 360-degree turns, and join in on the fun!
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Events / [4/12/2026] HCF Pineapple Jam!
« Last post by Jim Thompson on March 09, 2026, 01:27:16 AM »


PINEAPPLE JAM is a Hawaiian island-hopping cargo challenge hosted by the Honolulu Control Facility (HCF). Grab your favorite prop or turboprop — from a Cessna Caravan to a King Air 350, a classic DC-3 to a mighty C-130 — and haul cargo between the islands of Hawaii with full ATC coverage across HCF. Over 25 aircraft types to choose from (see below). Fly short VFR hops into strips like Dillingham and Kalaupapa, or take on longer inter-island runs between Honolulu, Maui, Kona, Hilo, and Lihue. Whether you're hand-flying a Twin Otter through the mountain passes or cruising a King Air above the clouds, there's a route and an aircraft for every pilot.

What makes PINEAPPLE JAM different? Turn Cards. Before each leg, draw a random card that changes how you fly — full fuel departure, no GPS, a mandatory go-around, a blown tire on the taxiway, or maybe a Shaka Bonus for double bragging rights. Some cards test your skills, some reroute your plans, and some are pure aloha. Join us Sunday, April 12th from 1700z to 2000z and see how many islands you can hit before the pineapples spoil.

(opening April 6th)

Here are some of the 24 total game cards available!



Official Event Aircraft Types

  • BN-2 Islander (Piston) — 150kt
  • C-47D Skytrain (DC-3) — 160kt
  • DHC-4 Caribou — 160kt
  • BN-2T Islander (Turbine) — 170kt
  • DHC-6 Twin Otter — 170kt
  • Piper Comanche 250 — 170kt
  • Short SC.7 Skyvan — 175kt
  • Bonanza G36 — 175kt
  • Cessna 208 Caravan — 180kt
  • Kodiak 100 — 180kt
  • Curtiss C-46 Commando — 180kt
  • Beechcraft Model 18 — 190kt
  • Shorts SD330/SD360 — 190kt
  • Beechcraft Baron G58 — 200kt
  • Black Square Piston Duke — 200kt
  • Cessna 408 SkyCourier — 200kt
  • King Air C90 GTX — 230kt
  • A2A Aerostar 600 — 250kt
  • King Air 200 — 250kt
  • Black Square Turbine Duke — 270kt
  • MU-2 — 270kt
  • C-130 Hercules — 290kt
  • King Air 350 — 300kt
  • TBM 930/850 — 330kt
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Events / 24 Hours of vZDC
« Last post by Carson Berget on March 08, 2026, 10:28:22 AM »
For one full day the Virtual Washington ARTCC will keep the lights on. Washington Center and Potomac TRACON will be staffed the entire time so, whether you’re transiting the Atlantic routes, shooting the River Visual to 19, or running the shuttle up to BWI, you’ll never leave coverage. No gaps, no hand-offs to unicom—just continuous, professional service from the beaches of the Delmarva to the ridges of the Shenandoah.

Stay for one leg or the entire rotation; the stream of traffic will be steady and the controllers will be caffeinated. Join us and log a day’s worth of flight time in the most complex airspace on the east coast.

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Events / The Dulles Night Shift
« Last post by Carson Berget on March 08, 2026, 10:27:39 AM »
Work the night shift on April 12th, 2026, when "The Dulles Night Shift" takes over Washington Dulles International (KIAD) from 2200z to 0200z! This event captures the energy of a bustling Sunday night at the DC area's premier global gateway, where international widebodies mix with domestic narrowbodies and everything in between.

Whether you're arriving on a long-haul crossing, departing for a coast-to-coast red-eye, or flying a short regional hop, enjoy the rare opportunity to experience KIAD fully staffed during a dynamic evening of operations. From massive freighters to regional jets, all are welcome at this iconic hub. So clock in, grab your charts, and join the community for a night where the traffic never sleeps at Dulles.

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Events / [4/22/2026] Midwest TRACON Tour: Fort Wayne
« Last post by Kevin Huang on March 08, 2026, 05:32:39 AM »


The Chicago ARTCC proudly presents the Midwest TRACON Tour, an new series of events that highlights the lesser loved facilities across ZAU. Tired of flying into O'Hare and Midway over and over again? Join us for a lovely evening in Fort Wayne, Indiana!

The second largest city in Indiana, Fort Wayne is the cultural and economic hub of northeast Indiana! Fort Wayne International Airport has service to Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. Almost a million passengers traveled through KFWA in 2025!

All general aviation, IFR, and VFR operations and all skill levels are welcome. Surrounding facilities such as JVL, UES, and MSN will have ATC coverage as staffing permits.
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Events / [4/10/2026] The Great American FNO
« Last post by Kevin Huang on March 08, 2026, 04:49:10 AM »


In 1968, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Norman Mailer wrote, "Chicago is the great American city ... perhaps [the last] of the great American cities." Found on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago has long been a hub of trade and transit, linking the farms of the Midwest with the canals, rivers, and railways of the world. In the 20th century, both Midway and O'Hare International Airport have served as America's busiest commercial airport. Today, over 100 million passengers and 3 million tons of cargo move through the airports of Chicago and its closest neighbors Rockford and Milwaukee each year.

Come join us in America's heartland for real world ops into 4 world-class airports!

Featured Fields: ORD, MDW, MKE, RFD
Date: April 10, 2026
Time: 2300Z-0300Z (6PM-10PM Central Time)
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Events / [4/07/26] Farewell to Runway 14/32
« Last post by Brayden Skar on March 02, 2026, 10:40:38 PM »
​Join the Salt Lake City ARTCC on April 7th for a historic VATSIM event as we bid a final farewell to Runway 14-32 at KSLC.​
Date: April 7, 2026​
Time: 2300-0300 Z
Time: 5-9PM Mountain Time
As the sun sets on this iconic strip of pavement, we invite all pilots to help us give it a proper send-off before the heavy machinery moves in for demolition on April 8th.​Runway 14-32 isn’t just a secondary strip; it’s a living relic. As a remaining section of the original World War II-era runway built at Salt Lake City Airport, it has served as a bridge between aviation’s past and its future for over 80 years. ​However, time and modern safety standards have caught up. With its unique orientation creating two persistent hotspots and its utility decreasing in the age of massive commercial flows, the decision has been made to decommission it to make way for the airport’s continued expansion. Come fly the bravo, practice your short landings, or make your final full-stop on this historic piece of Salt Lake history.
​To ensure everyone gets a chance to experience the pavement one last time, we are using the runway to a during this event so if you want to log Runway 14-32 in your logbook, here is what you need to know:​​

Permitted Aircraft:
VFR Traffic: All types are welcome.
For IFR Traffic: ​Prop/Turboprops along with ​Light Jets (Non-RNAV)​ Due to the proximity of the main air carrier runways (16L/R and 34L/R), please stay sharp on your taxi instructions and watch for those notorious hotspots. Let’s keep the frequency professional but the atmosphere celebratory.
​Don't miss out—once the clock strikes midnight on April 8th, 14-32 becomes a memory.
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Events / [2026/04/05 2000 - 2300] Field of Dreams
« Last post by Kevin Huang on March 02, 2026, 05:40:55 PM »


If you staff it, they will come.

In the classic 1989 film Field of Dreams, Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) is inspired by a vision to build a baseball field in his cornfield and summons the spirits of baseball legends of eras past. The real life Field of Dreams is located just outside Dubuque, Iowa and it happens to be located in ZAU airspace. A much younger tradition than our national pastime, our classic Iowa event is back for its third year! With that same faith, the controllers of ZAU and ZMP will staff up fields across Iowa, and we hope to summon pilots to come fly in!

Event Fields: DSM, ALO, CID, DBQ, MLI
Event time: April 5, 2026 2000 - 2300z
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Events / [6/6/2026] Vice City Vectors
« Last post by Abhi Damodaran on March 02, 2026, 03:34:37 PM »


Join ZMA for Vice City Vectors in South Florida on June 6, 2026, as we bring the Miami airspace to life with full staffing across KOPF, KMIA, and KTMB. Expect nonstop IFR arrivals, rapid-fire vectors, and the signature over-the-water visuals that define flying into the Magic City. File your route and get ready for a night of tight sequencing and smooth coordination in the heart of Vice City.

Date/Time (Zulu): Saturday, June 6th, 2026, 2300Z-0300Z
Date/Time (Eastern): Saturday, June 6th, 2026, 1900L-2300L
Event Airport: KMIA, KOPF, KTMB
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Events / [03/20/2026] The Mountain Wave FNO
« Last post by Dan Michael Bonaga on March 01, 2026, 11:18:35 PM »

Airports: CYVR,CYLW,CYYC,PANC
Date/Time: March 20, 2026, 5pm-9pm PT
Date/Time (zulu): March 20, 2026, 2359z - March 21, 2026, 0400z

March 20th CZVR FIR is proud to host The Mountain Wave FNO.  In cooperation with VATUSA, ZAN ARTCC and CZEG FIR, we bring you north for a unforgettable FNO. This edition will feature CYVR, CYLW, CYYC and PANC. Join us March 20th 2359z-0400z. With some of the most scenic routes in North America, this is one FNO you do not want to miss!
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